Dark Magic
by HobbyWriter18
Summary: This story picks up months after the battle with Chaos. Things seemed to be getter better as the Sailor Senshi finish their junior year of high school. Suddenly, a mysterious illness hits Tokyo at the beginning of summer. A new enemy emerges wielding dark, ancient magic. Can this enemy be defeated? What exactly is the enemy after? And who is the mysterious new vigilante?
1. Prologue

** **Disclaimer: I do not own the rights to the majority of the characters used in this story. Those rights belong to Naoko Takeuchi.**

 **This story is my own version of a continuation on Naoko Takeuchi's original storyline of** **Sailor Moon** **. It is to be used for Fanfiction only.**

 **Please note, I do not describe or go into detail about who the "known" characters are. I am writing this story with the hopes that most of my readers will know about the last story arc in the Sailor Moon anime/manga and what the main characters all look like. Enjoy!**

* * *

 **Prologue**

It was a beautiful April day in Tokyo. The sun was shining directly overhead and a slight breeze was playing through the trees in Azabu Juban park. Usagi Tsukino sat in the grass looking up at the sky. Her long blonde tresses were blowing around behind her quiet and peaceful form. Although she was too humble to notice, many people were watching her. They were attracted to the strength and innocence radiating from the natural beauty. There was just something about the young woman sitting alone and watching the clouds.

It had been over a year. Usagi was sitting in contemplation and reviewing all that life had become. Mamoru had left for America not long after returning to her arms. He had told her that it was important for their future that he learn all that he could. She did not have the heart to tell him no, even though it was the last thing that she wanted. So, with a few tears and a long kiss she saw him off for a second time. Her friends, seeing the maturity and strength that their leader was growing into did all that they could to rally around her. It was hard for her to stay sad for long. Every day Mamoru contacted her. Some days she would get love letters to accompany the phone calls, other days she received roses and gifts. Everyone at school was amazed at how many gifts Usagi's boyfriend showered upon her. They all had noticed the ring on her left hand, including her father. Kenji was not pleased with the fact that a boy had given his daughter a ring. He knew very little about the relationship because his wife did her best to keep him out of it. The one thing that stuck out to him was that Usagi's grades were improving. In the past year she had gone from barely pulling off a passing grade in school, to making mid-level marks and a few that were high. It was not what he desired, but it was better. So, he kept his grumbling to a minimum and only scowled when a gift showed up on the door step.

Ami, Rei, Minako and Makoto were all there with Usagi, every day. In the past year, there had been no fights for the Sailor Senshi. This meant that they actually had the time to live life and enjoy each others' company. On every school break there had been a trip. The four single girls were dating off and on. Rei had transferred to the same school as the others and they had become the most popular girls at the school due to their generous and pleasant natures. It did not hurt that they were all gorgeous and outgoing. School had just started again for them. It was their final year of senior high. This was it for their adolescence and they did not know how long it would be before the Earth was placed into a deep sleep by the silver crystal. All they knew was that it would eventually happen and they would awaken with their new liege, Neo Queen Serenity.

Usagi leaned back, placing her arms behind her head. She loved her current life. The only thing that would make it better would be having her Mamo-chan with her. Tomorrow she was going to meet him at the airport. He had just finished his final term in America and was coming home to start medical practicum full time. Usagi rolled to her side and looked out at the park. All of the kids running around and playing made her miss Chibiusa. Of course, Chibiusa was probably too grown up for all of that now. She had been back in her century getting trained as the heir apparent. As Usagi looked around she noticed a rose bush growing next to a tree. There was exactly one flower that had bloomed on the entire bush. With a smile, she got up and walked over to it. Cupping her right hand under the bloom, she leaned in to inhale the scent that she associated with her love.

Something gleamed down inside of the rose bush. Usagi was curious and tried to see what it was. Very gently, she pulled some of the thorny branches aside and saw that it was a slim gold bracelet with an intricate design. She managed to get down on her stomach and pull the bracelet out from under the bush. As she turned the bracelet in her hands to get a better look at the designs, Usagi heard a voice behind her.

"Oh! You found it! I was hoping that this was where I had lost my bracelet!"

Usagi turned around and saw a young woman approaching her with a smile. The young lady was taller than Usagi with long black hair and big green eyes. She was wearing a dark green, knee-length dress and black flats. Over her arm she had a white woven basket with green bundled herbs and little wrapped packages.

"I can prove to you that it is mine," the woman stated, grabbing for the back of her necklace.

"Oh, are they a set?" Usagi asked with a smile.

"In a sense," the young lady replied, "They both have my initials carved into the clasps. There should be a small 'MS' on the inside. My name is Sato, Mai by the way." She finished, holding out her hand.

Usagi shook the woman's hand. "I am Tsukino, Usagi."

"Nice to meet you, Usagi-san."

"Likewise."

"So, I see that you too are a fan of the roses?" Mai asked.

"They are my absolute favorite!" Usagi replied brightly.

"Which color do you prefer?"

"Red, of course. The color of passion, sacrifice and beauty."

"Ah, well I prefer the fun and cheerful yellow rose. Have you been to the newest pavilion?"

"No. I saw that it was being constructed last year. I hear that they have thousands of imported flowers." Usagi said whimsically. "I cannot wait to visit it, but I have put it off so that I might go with my boyfriend."

"Where has he been? Overseas studies?" Mai inquired.

"Yes. He went to America to complete a year of medical school."

"Ah. Well, that is something that will prove to be beneficial for his future and maybe yours?" Mai said with a smile, nodding towards the ring on Usagi's hand.

With a blush, Usagi clasped her hands together in front of her. "I still have a year of high school. We will see where things go after that."

"Beautiful and practical, I see." Mai stated with a gentle smile. Suddenly her eyes widened as she looked down at her basket and grimaced. "It was nice to meet you Tsukino, Usagi. Unfortunately, I have an appointment with a sick woman. She needs one of my tinctures."

"Oh, do you practice medicine?"

"I am an herbalist, not a doctor. I love to use my knowledge of plants to help people. Natural remedies, I believe, are the only way to truly cure an illness." Mai replied.

"Wow, that is both noble and very interesting. I am sorry to keep you, Mai-san. Hopefully, we will meet again?"

"Most definitely," Mai responded. "If you would like, I have coffee at the Sunny Café downtown every morning and would love for you to join me one day."

"I will have to stop by. Good luck with your herbs. I hope that the woman you are going to see gets better soon." Usagi said with a smile.

"Thank you!" Mai replied and turned around to leave with a friendly wave.

As Usagi watched Mai walk away, she was struck by an odd twinge. Gasping, she realized that her crystal was responding to the woman that she had just met. "That's odd." She said softly. "I wonder what that means."

* * *

A low chuckle rose into the black abyss far below the ground of Tokyo. "It is time," the voice stated. With a loud rush of screaming wind, three forms took shape with glowing red eyes. They were three youmas inside of swirling cyclones. The three cyclones came together, with all three monsters clasping hands. The word "Freedom" hissed out from their mouths and their mass grew until it encompassed the entire space. Rock started crumbling and falling down around them. Suddenly a small stream of water shot down from the crashing stone.

"STRONGER!" a husky feminine voice screamed over the sound. "Bring the ceiling down so that my portal out will be completed!"

"Yeesss" the youmas hissed, adding more power to their attack.

Within a matter of minutes, the underground cyclone was filled with water and churning at a steady pace. A dark form stepped away from a crevice at the corner of the hollowed out space. The dark cloak around the individual kept anything from being seen in what light was cast. As the shape stepped forward, the same husky voice that had been giving commands emerged. "PORTAL! I command you to open! May the waters of the Earth cast me forth to the shore!" A hand shot out and suddenly the watery cyclone was lit up in a blinding light. The dark shape merged with the light and disappeared, leaving just the cyclone once again. The voice came through one last time "Stay here my dears, for I will return once I have found the stone that we need. Do not let this portal close!"

"Yes, mistress," came the reply.

* * *

"Wind, water, earth, fire. Wind, water, earth, fire," the chanting continued as Rei sat in front of the sacred flames. Her face was a perfect picture of concentration as she moved her hands to make the symbols of the elements. Every morning Rei sat in front of the flames for meditation. Most of the time it was a calming and quiet scene with the flames licking around her arms as she become even more efficient with her element of fire. After much practice, Rei could command fire in just seconds. She could produce it and control it with little to no effort. There were instances every now and then when Rei would have a premonition. It was in these moments that her flames raged out of control. Just the day before, she had almost set the temple on fire. Rei was having some dark premonitions of the future and was concerned that a new enemy was coming forth.

As she continued to chant, the room began to grow dark and cold. Even with her flames in front of her, Rei could feel the chill seep into her skin. Before she knew it, Rei was standing in front of a dark figure. There was a part of her that recognized this as a premonition, but it was different. The dark figure was looking into her eyes and with a start she realized that this was not a normal prophecy, it was the use of dark magic. The cloaked figure in front of her started to smile. Rei could see features, but there was a shadow cast over the figure's face from the hood over its head. Time seemed to be suspended as the two figures stood facing each other. "What do you want?" Rei finally asked. Here in this realm, she was unable to control her projected spirit. If she took too much time getting back to her body, she might be split from it completely.

"Psychic, what do you think that I want?" a woman's deep voice responded.

"I think that you want something that is not rightfully yours." Rei countered. "You are looking for the powerful crystal on this planet. Unfortunately for you, you have no idea what you are playing with."

"Oh, darling, I know that I am playing with _FIRE_ ," the woman hissed. "Your element is only as strong as the one wielding it. I have the use of all four elements. In fact, your chanting is what helped me to find you."

"You are not after my powers." Rei stated matter of factly.

"No, I am not. I came here to warn you, young psychic, to stay out of my way."

Rei looked defiantly into the woman's eyes. "Why should I allow you to do anything on this planet, witch? I am a guardian of this universe."

"Your power is not half as old as mine," the woman declared. "I have been waiting many lifetimes for this moment. Nothing will stop me from taking control of what is destined to be mine. Wind, water, earth, FIRE!"

Suddenly Rei slammed back into her body inside of the temple. Her flames were extinguished and not even a wisp of smoke remained. With a groan, she went to lift her hand to her head and stopped short. An ancient symbol was marked on the back of her hand. "Oh no," she whispered. The ancient symbol was one of magical containment. "Mars crystal power!" Her body quickly transformed into her senshi form. "Burning Mandala!" Nothing happened. "Fire soul!" Still, nothing happened. Dropping to her knees, Rei de-transformed. "This is not good."

* * *

End Prologue


	2. Chapter 1

** **Disclaimer: I do not own the rights to the majority of the characters used in this story. Those rights belong to Naoko Takeuchi.**

 **This story is my own version of a continuation on Naoko Takeuchi's original storyline of** **Sailor Moon** **. It is to be used for Fanfiction only.**

* * *

 **Chapter 1**

Minako was shopping downtown when her communicator went off. Grabbing the closest item from a rack, she ducked into a fitting room and opened up the screen. "Venus." She answered. Usagi's face came up.

"Where are you at Minako?" Usagi asked. "I just had a call from Rei. Something is wrong and I need you to meet me at the temple."

"I'll be there in ten minutes." Minako affirmed. Quickly, she grabbed the item that she had carried into the fitting room and walked briskly out. "Doesn't quite suit me," she muttered as she placed it on the rack. The attendant standing there shrugged and went back to inventory.

Minako raced through downtown and even briefly considered teleporting. Unfortunately, Artemis had warned her against using that skill in public. She did not want anyone to see her disappear if she was not in senshi form. The upcoming traffic signal started blinking and she rushed to get across the street before the light changed. A loud squeal came from her left and Minako quickly turned her head to look at the car careening in her direction. _I can't use my powers in this form around all of these people_ , she thought as she mentally braced herself for impact. Someone swooped down and grabbed her up, jumping high and on to the nearest sidewalk. For a brief moment, the black material in her face made Minako think that it was Tuxedo Kamen. As they landed on the concrete, she found her bearings and looked directly into the face of her rescuer. It was a woman wearing a black head covering. Her green eyes met Minako's and she winked. Minako felt herself being set down onto the sidewalk. She took a better look at her rescuer. The woman was close to Makato's height. She was wearing cargo pants tucked into tall boots, a long sleeved shirt and a full head covering that only exposed her eyes. All of the material was black and the only color was a thin embroidered edge of green thorns along the top of the head covering.

"Who are you?" Minako asked.

The woman in black winked again and raced off, disappearing into the gathering crowd. Minako looked down to find a yellow rose at her feet. Stooping, she picked it up and looked back in the direction that the woman had run. _What in the hell?_ she thought. _I could swear that the universe is upside down and a female Tuxedo Kamen_ _just rescued me._ Gasping, Minako realized that she was going to be late to meeting up with Rei and Usagi. Tucking the rose into her purse, she started running.

* * *

"Explain to me what this is, Rei."

Rei looked up into Usagi's worried face and did her best to appear calm. "This is a spell symbol. The symbol stands for magical containment, which means that am unable to pull my powers to the surface. They are still within me. I just can't use them. This symbol blocks my powers from being released."

"So you can't use any of your attacks? What about transforming? Do you still have your psychic abilities?" Usagi asked.

Rei was sitting on her bed, with Usagi standing next to her. Minako was sitting in a chair across from the bed looking on with a worried frown.

"I can still pray and meditate. My psychic abilities are mental and spiritual. They are not physically projected out. So, I can still pick up on energies. Surprisingly, I can transform. It doesn't do me any good. I am unable to use any of my attacks. I cannot call forth my element."

"How did this happen, Rei?" Minako asked calmly.

"I was meditating in front of my flames. Suddenly, my spirit was pulled from my body into another plane. A woman met me in this realm and I realized that she had used dark magic to summon me. Only someone with strong powers can do something like that to an established psychic. When she released me back to my body, she sent the spell along with me. My spirit and this spell both fused with my physical body. I am unable to use my powers in a physical form."

"Who was the woman? What exactly are her intentions? Do you know?" Usagi chimed in.

"She did not give me a name and I could not fully see her face. Her aura was very dark, Usagi. This tells me that she has an ancient evil within her. I believe that she is after your crystal. She specifically told me to stay out of her way. You will have to remain vigilant."

"For now, Princess, I will accompany you wherever you go. That is, unless you are with someone who can defend you. I know that Mamoru is supposed to come home tomorrow, " Minako said.

"Not much of a homecoming," Usagi replied softly. "I was hoping to enjoy peace along with him. Now we are back to being on guard."

"Just remember that sometime in the near future, you will have the ability to restore peace. The silver millennium is not at far away as it seems." Minako reminded her with a gentle smile. "We will have to fight to get to that point, but you grow stronger every day. By the middle of next year, you will come into your full powers. I cannot believe that we are so close to being adults."

"I know that I am destined to be Neo Queen Serenity, but you must not forget that destinies can change if we do not follow them closely. If we learned nothing else from defeating Chaos, we learned that the future can be changed if we do not make the right choices. That is a big weight to carry, Minako." Usagi responded somberly.

"We have faith in you!" Rei and Minako both exclaimed. Surprised they both looked at each other and broke into broad grins.

Usagi beamed at her two friends. The bonds that they all had grew stronger as her powers grew. It was becoming normal for them to share thoughts and feelings in a group setting. "I am glad that you two have faith in me. It only took you three years to get there, Rei."

"What can I say, I am stubborn." Rei retorted.

"This still doesn't solve our problem. Can the silver crystal reverse this spell that was placed on you?"

"I don't know how to reverse it or undo it. Maybe Ami can figure it out."

Minako nodded her head in agreement. "I will call a meeting for this afternoon. Let's go get some lunch in the meantime."

"Can we go to the Arcade? PLEEEAASE?" Usagi asked as she clapped her hands together.

"You are becoming so mature, Usagi, yet somehow food still makes you turn into a child!" Rei pointed out.

"We are only young once," Usagi responded, returning to her graceful new posture. "I intend to enjoy my youth while I can." With that, she nodded at her two friends and proceeded to glide out of the room.

Rei and Minako shared an amused look and then jumped up to follow her.

* * *

End Chapter 1


	3. Chapter 2

** **Disclaimer: I do not own the rights to the characters used in this story. Those rights belong to Naoko Takeuchi.**

 **This story is my own version of a continuation on Naoko Takeuchi's original storyline of** **Sailor Moon** **. It is to be used for Fanfiction only.**

* * *

 **Chapter 2**

"Ami-chan! I am getting ready to leave for the hospital. Will you come down and say goodbye?"

Hearing her mother's greeting, Ami stood up and stretched. She had been sifting through documents for hours trying to figure out exactly what she was looking at. Grabbing her notes, she went downstairs to speak with her mother.

"Have you been up long? I saw the light under your door when I came downstairs," Saeko asked.

"Those documents that you brought me last night are quite curious, mother," Ami responded.

"This illness that has come into the hospital is not like anything that we deal with on a regular basis. I was hoping that you could help me figure out its characteristics so that we can learn how to fight it."

"I appreciate the fact that you have consulted me. It means a lot that you trust my assistance." Ami smiled at her mother before sifting through and selecting a page from her stack. "This page here shows the effects that this illness is having on the human body. Is it true that the infected individuals' veins are turning black underneath their skin?"

"I'm afraid so, dear. It has not killed anyone yet, but I have never seen blood turn another color. Many of the staff were originally concerned that we might have a highly dangerous virus in our hospital. Tokyo is the only city showing signs of the illness at this point. We have learned that it is not contagious. Granted, none of us have touched the black blood."

"Mother, how many people are infected?" Ami asked.

"We have 10 cases in the past week. Environmentalists are trying to narrow down options using localities of all of the infected. I know that I can trust you to assist in a confidential manner. The government is not ready to call this an epidemic and we are trying to keep panic from arising in the city." Placing her bag over her shoulder, Saeko reached up and touched her daughter's face. "I love you. See you in the morning, if I can get away."

"I understand. Be safe, mother," Ami grabbed her mother's hand."I love you too."

As soon as her mother had left the building, Ami raced back to her room. Her communicator was going off and she opened it to find multiple faces on the screen. Minako was the caller and her face looked grim as she started speaking. "Meet at the temple this afternoon by 2 PM. Rei, Usagi and myself are having lunch at the Crown if you want to join us there."

"What's going on Mina-chan?" Makoto asked.

"Possible new enemy. We will debrief after lunch," Minako responded.

"I will bring my notes," Ami replied. "There is definitely something strange happing in Tokyo. I am going to eat lunch here, but I will see everyone at 2 PM."

Makoto nodded her head and affirmed that she would also be at the temple in the afternoon. "Already making my lunch. I will bring snacks for the meeting."

Minako, Makoto and Ami all signed off. With a frown, Ami looked back at her stack of paperwork. _I hope that this is connected to whatever Minako is going to tell us about. If not, we have two very serious problems to address._ Setting her paperwork to the side, Ami pulled out her computer and called the command center. Luna's face appeared on the screen.

"Luna, I need you to run a search for me in the database," Ami explained.

"Of course, Ami-chan. Would you like for me to bring any results to the senshi meeting this afternoon?" Luna replied.

"That would be wonderful, Luna. I need you to search illnesses and look for any symptoms that affect the color of a human's blood. I'm hoping that there are records on file."

"I will run a thorough search with Artemis' help. He needs work to do."

The camera panned over to where Artemis was curled up, snoring. His front paw twitched and he buried his face farther under his tail. With a small chuckle, Luna's face reappeared. Ami smiled at her and thanked her again for her help before signing off.

 _There has to be record of this disease somewhere. I hope that we can stop it before it becomes an epidemic._

* * *

Makoto hit the end call button on her communicator and let out her breath. Turning around, she looked down at the pink haired teenager standing next to her with a doughnut in hand.

"Chibiusa, can you explain to me why you showed up here and not at Usagi's home? I am sure that Ikuko would be very happy to see you."

The pink haired vixen smiled and set the donut back on the platter that it had come from. Makoto couldn't help thinking that Chibiusa looked more like Usagi than ever.

"Well, Mako-chan, I need your help. I thought about it and you are the perfect person to assist me," Chibiusa answered.

"Are you needing more cooking lessons? I thought that you were busy learning how to become Crystal Tokyo's future queen?"

"We both know that my parents are going to be alive for quite some time. In this century they would only be in their mid 30s. When you consider the rate at which the royal family ages in the future, you know that I won't be the ruler for another couple of thousand years. I can take a break if I want to. Besides, Mama knows where she can find me. "

Makoto shook her head and smiled at Chibiusa. "I'm still not sure why you are here?"

"You promise that you won't lose it? I have some very sensitive information to share, but I can only trust one person. Usagi can't find out."

"So this is super sensitive future information that Usagi can't know before it happens in the future?" Makoto tried to clarify.

"Exactly."

"Okay, I promise that I will not tell her."

Chibiusa snapped her fingers and her Luna-P ball appeared.

"I was wondering what happened to Luna-P!" Makoto exclaimed.

"She is always with me. I will never give her up, she's far too useful." Chibiusa shared with a shrug. She grabbed her Luna-P ball in her arms and snuggled it close. "Poof," she whispered. Suddenly, there was a baby in her arms. Luna-P had disappeared in a cloud of smoke.

"Oh my God!" Makoto yelled. "You had a baby?! You're only 13!" Her face was deathly pale and her ears were suddenly bright red. Before she had the chance to object, Chibisusa shoved the baby into her arms.

"Actually, I'm over 700 years old. His name is Akihiko. I need you to keep him for a little while. Please don't tell anyone where he came from!"

All of a sudden, Chibiusa was gone and Makoto was left looking down at a beautiful sleeping baby in her arms. He snuffled and rubbed his eyes with his tiny little fist. When he opened them they were a beautiful dark blue color. Gently pulling the blanket off of his head, Makoto was sure that she would find pink hair. Instead, she discovered that the little one had silver hair. _He's definitely a future royal!_ she thought. "Akihiko. Akihiko. Where have a heard that name before?" she asked the little bundle in her arms. The baby cooed and flailed his little fists. Suddenly, she remembered. When reading a children's book for the daycare that she volunteered at, she had come across a character with the name of Akihiko. This name meant bright prince. _Oh shit!_ she thought. _Small lady had a baby and brought it to the past to keep him a secret from the Queen!_

"Chibiusa! I am going to throttle you when you come back!" Makoto shouted to the air. This yell startled the baby and he started to fuss. "I guess that I had better get some stuff to help make you comfortable in your stay," she told the baby as she started rocking him softly in her arms.

Although Makoto loved children, she was not sure that she was ready to sign on for everything that had just been dropped in her lap. She looked up at the clock and realized that she only had 2 hours until her mandatory meeting. Snatching up the doughnut that Chibiusa had left on the bar, she stuck it in her mouth and picked up her purse. Adjusting the baby into one arm, she somehow managed to get the purse on her other shoulder and left to go purchase a diaper bag and a baby sling. Apparently she was going to be Akihiko's surrogate parent for some time. _What do I do if she doesn't come back?_ She wondered as she started walking down the street. Once again, she looked down at the baby that had fallen back to sleep. He was the most adorable baby that she had ever seen. Her heart swelled and she instantly felt at peace as she realized that she already loved him. "I'll keep you as long as I need to." She promised. "You will not want for anything as long as I am your guardian."

* * *

End Chapter 2

 ***Quick Note***

 **I know that the Sailor Moon series explains that the Moon Royals can only give birth to one female child. Please remember that this is my own personal version of what could happen after the last published story arc. Akihiko might not be exactly who you think he is. I will continue to develop his origin as the story moves forward.**

 **Thank you for reading and reviewing! I hope that you all continue to follow me in this crazy adventure! ^_^**


	4. Chapter 3

** **Disclaimer: I do not own the rights to the characters used in this story. Those rights belong to Naoko Takeuchi.**

 **This story is my own version of a continuation on Naoko Takeuchi's original storyline of** **Sailor Moon** **. It is to be used for Fanfiction only.**

* * *

 **Chapter 3**

It was 2:05 PM and everyone was sitting in the temple, except for Makoto. Minako, Ami, Rei and Usagi were all sitting on cushions next to the fire that Rei had manually started for the first time in years. Luna and Artemis were sitting on the desk against the wall that had the computer on it.

"Where do you think she is?" Usagi asked, referring to the late Makoto.

"It's only five minutes after. She should be here soon," Minako responded.

"I know. It's just not like her to be late for anything."

Ami had her folder of paperwork clutched to her chest and was anxious to get started. She pulled her mini system out and started searching data that she had not looked up yet. Rei was staring into the flames with her arms folded and a small frown line on her forehead. Just as Usagi was opening her communicator, Makoto came rushing into the room. She had a basket over her arm, two bags over her shoulder and a sling across her chest. Quickly, she walked to the empty table in the room and set her stuff down. She started unpacking the basket of food and laying it out for everyone.

"So sorry that I am late, guys," she offered as an apology.

All four of her senshi friends were looking at her with questions on their faces. Minako's mouth had dropped and Usagi quickly stood up to help Makoto. "Is that a baby?" she asked as she approached her friend.

Makoto swiftly turned around with a slight flush to her face. "Yes, it is. I am watching him for a, um, a good friend."

"Oh, that's nice," Usagi replied, "What's his name? Can we see him?"

"Well, he's sleeping right now. I would hate to wake him up," Makoto said lamely, just as the baby started cooing.

"Sounds like he's awake," Minako corrected as she walked up to the table.

"Oh, Um, well.." Makoto stammered, "Let me take him out of the sling." She stopped messing with the food and reached over to pull the sling open in the front. Usagi stepped up and peered closer.

"Oh my goodness!" Usagi exclaimed. "He's absolutely adorable!" Reaching in, she pulled the baby out of the sling and snuggled him into her arms.

Minako stood at Usagi's shoulder and stuck her finger next to the baby's fist. Instinctively, he wrapped his little fist around her finger and smiled. "What's his name?" Minako asked, still staring at the little bundle.

"Well, his name is.. Just call him Aki. That's what I call him." Makoto blurted out.

"Aki," Usagi whispered reverently. Rei and Ami had both come over to join them and they were all standing in a little circle staring at the baby. Suddenly his face screwed up and he started crying. Makoto rushed up to Usagi and took the baby back.

"He needs a bottle," Makoto offered as she saw Usagi's face fall.

"I'll help make one," Ami replied quickly.

"I guess we can start the meeting once he calms down?" Minako asked.

The other four senshi all agreed and everyone headed for the cushions while Ami went to warm up some water for the bottle. Within a couple of minutes, Ami returned with a bottle ready and grabbed a cloth from the diaper bag before going to take her seat next to Makoto.

"Let's get this meeting started," Minako said as the baby quietly started eating. "There are some things happening that I think we need to all be aware of. There is a new enemy in town and something weird happened to me earlier today. First of all, Rei met the new enemy in another plane. Apparently this woman reached out and summoned Rei's spirit into the other plane as she was meditating this morning. We're not sure exactly who she is or what powers she has, but Rei says that she is operating with dark magic. As she dismissed Rei, she cast a powerful spell on her. Rei, show Ami and Mako-chan your hand."

Rei held out her right hand to show the symbol on the back of it. Makoto gasped and sat forward to get a better look. "You said it's a spell?" she asked.

"Yes," Rei replied. "I have seen this symbol in ancient texts that I have studied as a priestess. It is a containment spell and will not let me release any of my physical powers."

"Did that text tell you how to break the spell?" Makoto inquired.

"No. It explains the symbol, but does not advise how it can be reversed or removed. I cannot control fire right now, whether I am in this form or my senshi form. I can still read auras and use my psychic abilities. Unfortunately, I am unable to protect Usagi from this woman without my powers."

"Is she after the silver crystal?" Ami chimed in.

"That's what we believe," Minako replied. "Usagi will have to be with one of us at all times. Thankfully, Mamoru will be back in Tokyo tomorrow. He has boarded his flight from America and will be back soon. We all can trust him to protect our princess."

Everyone nodded their heads in agreement. Ami grabbed Rei's hand and started scanning the symbol with her minicomputer. "Let me see what I can find."

While Ami started trying to research the spell that had been cast over Rei, Minako continued to explain about her encounter with the strange woman that morning. She told everyone exactly what had happened and pulled the rose out of her purse. It was still in perfect condition.

"That sounds so much like something that Mamoru would do, as Tuxedo Kamen," Usagi said.

"That's exactly what I thought. It was so weird. I thought that it was him at first, but discovered that it was a woman within a matter of seconds. My thoughts are that she admires him as a hero and is trying to mimic him." Minako continued, "She did not do anything that was unique. She's quick, strong and can jump fairly high. None of these are powers, just physical abilities."

"Can you explain how that rose has remained perfect? Also, she used a yellow rose, not a red one," Makoto pointed out.

"It looks like she coated the outer petals in a wax of some sort. This has helped the flower to keep its shape."

"Are we really concerned about this new hero? She sounds harmless from what you are telling us. Don't we have more important things to worry about? Like this new enemy?" Usagi chimed in.

"I am not really worried about her at this point in time, but we might keep our eyes open. If she turns into a vigilante and tries to stop crime, there is a possibility that she could get caught up in whatever we are dealing with regarding this new enemy. As a human, she will not have very good defenses against dark magic," Minako concluded.

"That's a good point, Mina-chan," Usagi agreed. "I will keep my eyes open. Maybe Mamo-chan can patrol when he gets back. She might be hoping to meet her hero." A soft smile lit up Usagi's face. "I can't wait to pick him up tomorrow. He will be so proud of my driving abilities!"

Rei laughed. "You might take a bus to meet him. Your driving abilities are not that polished yet."

Usagi's smile grew and she nodded her head, "You're right. I don't want to get my boyfriend killed trying to get him home. I'm just not that comfortable with traffic."

"Traffic is the definition of Tokyo, my friend," Makoto chimed in. "That's why I am glad that I can just walk or take the bus."

"How long do you have Aki?" Usagi asked.

"Well, my friend wasn't sure how long she would be away. Her grandmother is sick and she is the closest living relative. Obviously, she didn't want to take her little baby into a home with illness. You guys know how much I love babies. I agreed to watch him for as long as necessary, "Makoto responded smoothly. _Dang that was good!_ She thought to herself.

Everyone seemed to buy Makoto's story about Aki's mother. She breathed a small sigh of relief and looked over at Ami. "Has the computer found anything about that spell?"

Ami's eyebrows were knitted together as she quickly read the information on her screen. "It appears as though the spell can only be broken with the use of a stronger magic than the one that set it."

"Should I try the silver crystal?" Usagi asked.

"That seems like our only option at this point. The light from the crystal should overshadow any dark magic that was used against Rei."

Usagi opened her hand and brought her crystal forth. She no longer needed to physically carry it in a brooch or compact. The crystal was inside of her and she could summon it with a simple thought. Moving closer to Rei, she held her crystal up and immediately transformed into Princess Serenity. "Help me to heal my guardian!" she said firmly. The crystal blazed into a bright white light and washed over both Rei and Princess Serenity. Rei immediately transformed into her own pure form as the Princess of Mars. Serenity could see the mark on Rei's hand fading. As soon as it was gone, she stopped her powers and the crystal vanished from plain view. Princess Serenity grabbed Rei's hand and smiled. "There you are, dear guardian. It is so great to see you as you once were; a princess of the royal courts!"

Rei looked away from Serenity and saw that all of the senshi had transformed. She motioned at the rest of the group, "Your crystal beckons all of us to be our royal selves."

Luna and Artemis were looking on with tears in their eyes. These young women were becoming more like their past selves every day. It brought back fond memories of the Silver Millenium and the peace that once existed within the realm. Princess Serenity inclined her head to her senshi and, just like that, they all were their human forms again.

Rei felt a big sense of relief as she stood and walked over to the flame pit. Reaching out, she beckoned the flames to come to her. As soon as the fire began to lick at her hands, she gasped and quickly pulled them away.

"Rei, what's wrong?" Ami asked as she stood up and hurried over.

Turning around towards the group, Rei held out her hands palm down. "The flames burned me." Bright red wounds were already beginning to appear on the tops of her hands. As they all looked, the ancient symbol suddenly reappeared on her right hand. A tear formed at the corner of Rei's eye and, before she could lose control, she ran out from the room. Ami quickly ran after her.

"What does this mean?" Usagi asked, looking over at Luna. "How did that spell come back?"

"I don't think that your crystal was able to break the spell," Luna replied. "This is a much darker magic than I could have imagined. We need to figure out who this enemy is!"

"We need to figure it out soon. I don't want to give this evil woman the upper hand in a fight!" Makoto muttered angrily.

Usagi and Minako readily agreed. Usagi had a sinking feeling in her stomach that this was going to be much harder than any of them had originally thought. She said a silent prayer. _Please don't let this evil take over our planet._

* * *

End Chapter 3


	5. Chapter 4

** **Disclaimer: I do not own the rights to the characters used in this story. Those rights belong to Naoko Takeuchi.**

 **This story is my own version of a continuation on Naoko Takeuchi's original storyline of** **Sailor Moon** **. It is to be used for Fanfiction only.**

 **Chapter 4**

Usagi sat on the bus and twisted her hands in her lap. She knew that she was supposed to stay with one of the other guardians, but she really needed to welcome Mamoru home on her own. He had just called her last night to confirm flight times, but she still had a fear that he would go missing like he had last year. That fear was even more pronounced at the thought of a new enemy. Usagi had kept the new enemy out of her conversation with Mamoru because she wanted his homecoming to be happy. She mentally told herself that as soon as they reached his apartment to unload his luggage, she would sit him down and explain the situation. A lone tear slid down Usagi's cheek before she realized that she was crying. As she lifted her hand to wipe away the evidence of her fears, she found a handkerchief being offered to her by someone in the aisle.

"Hello Usagi-san. What a coincidence to see you two days in a row!"

Usagi looked up into the bright, friendly eyes of Mai Sato. With a start, she realized that she had forgotten all about her crystal's reaction to the woman from yesterday. In the same thought pattern she also realized that nothing was happening now. Maybe her reaction had nothing to do with Mai?

"Oh, hello, Mai-san!" Usagi responded after her brief pause. Carefully taking the offered handkerchief, she dabbed her cheeks and attempted to smile at her acquaintance.

"Please don't tell me that you are crying from a broken heart!" Mai exclaimed as she gently slid onto the seat next to Usagi.

"Oh, of course not! I'm just overwhelmed. My boyfriend is on his flight back to Japan right now and I am both nervous and excited to greet him." Usagi shared openly.

"That is understandable, but I am sure that everything will go well. He is probably just as nervous and excited as you!"

Usagi laughed as she felt herself relaxing. "Oh no, Mamoru is so serious and logical! He is not one to get emotional very often."

Mai smiled at the sound of Usagi's laugh and reached into the basket on her lap to pull out a small jar of cream. Taking the lid off, she held the jar out to Usagi. "Would you care for some lavender and vanilla cream? Just by putting a little bit on your hands, or even under your nose, the smell will help you to relax. The scent of lavender is very soothing."

Usagi took the jar of cream and inhaled the aroma coming from within. It was a gentle scent that reminded her of the park and gardens. She carefully dabbed some cream onto her palm and gave the jar back to Mai before rubbing the cream into her hands. Usagi could not help but smile at the token of kindness that she had just been given. "You are so sweet, Mai-chan! I hope that you don't mind if I use your informal name?"

"Never, Usagi-chan! I am always happy to make a new friend!" Mai exclaimed, giving Usagi a big smile back.

"I know that this is spontaneous, but are you free for the next hour or so? I would love to have you join me for a drink while I wait at the airport." Usagi requested.

"That sounds great, Usagi! I will join you for a little while, at least until your boyfriend's flight arrives."

With that, Usagi and Mai started a conversation about their interests and hobbies. They were both pleasantly surprised by the genuine care that the other seemed to have. Getting off of the bus, they walked to a small restaurant in the airport and sat down for drinks.

* * *

 _There she is_ , the witch thought as she caught a glimpse of the girl sitting with another female at a small table in an airport restaurant. _Her energy is so strong._ As she watched, the female who was sitting with the girl got up and walked to the restroom. The witch was not able to see the other female's face since her back was turned the whole time, but it did not matter. That other girl did not have an energy that she was interested in.

Having shed her cloak for a more normal look, the witch appeared as any other human. She quickly approached the girl at the table to set her plan into motion. As Usagi was looking through the window at the flight itinerary, the witch walked up to her and touched her arm while muttering a curse. Usagi felt the hand on her and turned to look up, registering a familiar face before falling into unconsciousness.

* * *

Mai walked out of the restroom and immediately noticed that Usagi had her head down on the table. Something did not seem right. She hurried over to her new friend and gently shook her shoulder while saying her name, "Usagi-chan?" When there was not a response, Mai looked for signs of breathing and was relieved to see that it appeared as though she had just lost consciousness. Mai tried again to wake her, this time a little more forcefully. "Usagi!" There was a fluttering of her eyelashes and a hitch in her breathing as she slowly started to regain consciousness. Mai realized that one of the restaurant workers was walking toward the table and asked for him to grab a cold, wet towel. She sat down on the edge of the booth seat and placed an arm around Usagi. "Usagi-chan, can you hear me? I just need you to open your eyes for me and let me know that you are ok." Usagi slowly opened her clear blue eyes, blinking them furiously as she tried to find her awareness. "That's it. Are you with me now?" Mai asked softly.

"Mai?" Usagi breathed as her eyes made contact with her friend's. "What happened?"

Immediately feeling relieved, Mai answered Usagi's question. "I went to the restroom and came back to find you slumped over on the table." Usagi tried to sit up and Mai pulled her friend closer until Usagi's head was resting into her shoulder. "Hold on a second, you need to relax for a minute until you get your bearings back. How does your head feel?"

"I feel like my brain has been scrambled," Usagi mumbled as she screwed her eyes tightly shut.

"Here, hold this to your forehead and tell me everything that you can remember." Mai coaxed.

Usagi put the towel up to her forehead, leaning into her new friend. "I remember you getting up and going to the restroom. I looked out of the window to check on Mamo-chan's flight and… Oh! Mamo-chan's flight! It said that it had arrived. How long have I been sitting here?" Usagi pulled the towel back down and pushed herself up and into a sitting position. Looking at Mai with pleading eyes, she begged her to move. "Please! You have to let me go to meet Mamoru. I can't let him think that I didn't come."

Mai remained calm and persistent. "Can you at least tell me what happened after you saw the flight itinerary?"

"I don't remember anything else. I think that something startled me, but then everything went black. That's all that I can tell you."

"Do you have any medical issues that I need to know about? Are you prone to fainting spells, seizures or have you ever had a stroke?" Mai asked in a no-nonsense tone.

"No! I promise, I am in wonderful health." Usagi argued. "Please let me out from the booth, Mai-chan."

Mai looked over at the restaurant worker and shrugged her shoulders. "Thank you for your help, sir. I am going to escort her to her boyfriend and make sure that she is ok." The restaurant worker nodded his head in agreement and went back to his work. Turning back to Usagi, Mai sighed and shook her head. "I am going to let you get up against my better judgement. You really ought to see a doctor, Usagi."

"Are you really going to escort me to find Mamoru?" Usagi asked, both relieved and frustrated.

"Yes. I am not sure that you can walk on your own and I don't want you to fall back out on your way to find him."

Usagi nodded her head slightly, submitting to Mai's terms. With that, Mai got out of the booth and turned to help Usagi climb out as well. When Usagi stumbled a little bit while standing up, Mai put her arm back around her and supported her. "Ready?" she asked Usagi.

"Yes," Usagi agreed.

Mai moved her arm slowly out from behind Usagi and linked arms with her instead. "Let's start moving, slow and steady. I am sure that your Mamoru will wait to make sure that you aren't running a little bit behind."

"I hope so," Usagi sighed. "This is definitely not the homecoming that I wanted him to have."

* * *

Mamoru stepped off of the plane and walked to the baggage claim for his flight. He had reminded Usagi of where to find the baggage claims and as he approached the area he looked around for her cheerful face and bobbing, blonde head. After stopping and looking around the entire space twice, Mamoru realized that she was not there yet. Figuring that she was just running a little bit behind, he walked over to where the luggage from his flight was being delivered and started looking for his bags. It did not take long for his bags to appear and he grabbed them, turning and surveying the room one more time. This time he saw something that made him take a double glance. He saw Usagi from a distance walking in his direction. She was being supported by a taller, dark haired woman whom he did not know. Realizing that something was wrong, Mamoru dropped his luggage and raced over to Usagi. When she looked up and saw him, she broke free from her supporter and started running toward him. She only made it a couple of steps before she suddenly stopped and started swaying. As Mamoru willed himself not to run faster than a normal person, he moved as quickly as possible to catch Usagi before she could fall. Realizing that he was not going to make it in time, he called her name in frustration and worry, "Usagi!" The dark haired woman who had been supporting Usagi on her way into the area suddenly appeared in his line of sight and scooped Usagi up before she could hit the floor. Mamoru did not know if he had ever seen such quick reflexes outside of the sailor senshi. Rushing up to the two women, he reached out and took Usagi from the woman's arms, pulling her into his chest. "Usa?"

"There is a bench over here if you would like to put her down." The strange woman called out, breaking Mamoru from his panic and helping him to focus on the situation. He knelt down and gently laid Usagi on the bench, propping her head up with one arm. "Usa, my love, please open your eyes." Realizing that he needed to distract the woman next to him, he looked up and was startled upon seeing her face. She looked so familiar but now was not the time to try to remember her name. "Could you please help me gather my luggage before it goes missing? I have been through medical training and am going to try to wake her up. The less people that she has standing over her, the more calm that she will feel." Surprisingly, the woman just nodded her head and turned to go find his luggage. Once he was sure that nobody was paying close attention, Mamoru placed his free hand over Usagi's and used his crystal to try to wake her. "Usagi, you need to wake up and talk to me." With a gasp, her eyes flew open. It took a few seconds, but she finally looked up into his worried face. He squeezed her hand as her eyes filled with tears.

"Welcome home, Mamo-chan?" she offered weakly.

"Well, I guess that's one way to surprise me," he teased reassuringly as he leaned in and brushed a soft kiss over her lips.

* * *

 **End Chapter 4**


End file.
